[4] It is the smallest member of the clade containing the western islands' giant species.

[6] It was discovered in 1996 by biologist Efraín Hernández in the Macizo de Teno in the extreme northwest of Tenerife.

[2] The total number of animals in the northwestern distribution area is 500 (estimated in 2008), in 40 isolated populations along altogether 9 km of coastline.

The main threat to this lizard is predation by feral cats and, to a lesser degree, by rats.

The lizards are increasing in number since the turn of the century as a result of control of introduced mammals.